Book suggestions for the absolute beginner?

Hello all! I've been trying to figure out what the best books would be to get me started by reading Amazon.com reviews. Don't laugh! It brought me here! 'Blackjack for Blood,' 'Get the Edge at Blackjack,' 'Best Blackjack,' seem best. I've read mixed reviews for KO.

I like to think I can go from beginner to advanced, eventually. Weaknesses: (1)Math... I did pass sadistics, I mean statstics, but that was a decade+ ago (2)superstitious
Strengths: (1)Better than average memory (2)ability to stick to parameters I set for myself

Thank you in advance for your advice!!

I'm no expert, but i have learned quite a bit about the hobby...and i started the same way as you on amazon.com reviews. When I started, my first book was "The World's Greatest Blackjack Book". It provided a good introduction to the world of counting even though it was a bit outdated. It provided some good practice advice and some fun stories to get you in the mood. The second I read was "Blackjack for Blood". About the same info, different system, and a little more up to date. And no counter can be w/o Mr. Wong's "Professional Blackjack". It doesn't provide any fun stories just ALOT of information about (one of) the best beginner systems...the HI/LO. I liked the first two books to get some ideas about what it takes to actually learn a system, then when i got into it, the final book allowed me to analyze and understand why you make certain moves.

If you choose to learn the hi/lo you don't need a mathematical brain whatsoever, just how to add and subtract one...but a good memory does help. so you should be on your way. good luck.

Having started out only a few months ago, I can tell you how I wish I learned everything. First, you should first read some of the free online courses, read whatever reputable informationyou can for free and get a foundation.

http://www.bjrnet.com/GameMasters/GameMasterClassicsIndex.html

offers the basics and more. Read all the lessons and if you understand most of it, you're ready for Stanford Wong's "Professional Blackjack." This is not the first book I ever read on the subject, but it should have been. Also, check forums such as this often, to enhance your knowledge base.

Good luck.

There are many from which to choose. Blackjack for Blood is excellent, but the AOII system can be daunting for a beginner. Despite his many critics, I think Scoblete's Best Blackjack is a decent beginners book. Knock-Out Blackjack might be right up your alley. The system is very easy to use and as effective as other level 1 systems, including the most popular one, Hi-Lo. Professional Blackjack is the definitive text for Hi-Lo players. Snyder's Blackbelt in Blackjack is also a great book for new players.

I know I have offered a lot of choices, but if you are going to be betting in the casinos, the money and time spent on any of these books, or any combination of them is cheap at the price. I would recommend my own book, but it hasn't hit the stands yet. I'm hoping it will be out in the spring. If you haven't decided by then, the current working title is Bootlegger's 100 Proof Blackjack. Even if you have decided, you should buy it anyway. :-)

I've read mixed reviews for KO.

Knowing how the amazon system works those reviews were probably written by the same nasty troll. Judging by your "sadistics" (I sympathize) comment KO is the best book you can buy now.

My book deals with some quite advanced methods generally only used by professionals. You may wish to learn the basics before diving in at the deep end. This is also (slightly less) true about Carlson's excellent BJ for blood. Scoblete's book is aimed at recreational players who want a good read, you may want to buy that now to get in the swing of things.

See the link below for a free online version of T-H Basic Blackjack, the best introduction to card counting ever written. If you like this book, there are several more in the same series, and none of them require switching to a different count.

See the link below for a free online version of T-H Basic Blackjack, the best introduction to card counting ever written.

Although I've never met or played with T-hopper, a number of different players have told me that T-hopper is the best blackjack player in the world right now, at least in terms of card counting ability, even those he didn't get on with that well.

Regarding e-books, Richard Reid's work available at bjmath.com is also excellent. The normal dictum that free=garbage doesn't apply online, some of the best info can be found on the web.

A very underrated book in the Bj community. Most of the work is not his- he has taken it from people like Wong & Schlessinger- but it is much easier to understand.

It really is a solid book, and you can download it for free. I would actually suggest that you start there. Once you get comfortable with the tags and CBS included, you can move up to more advanced versions of his system and/or TKO if you want.

Don't let the price tag of $0 fool you. You don't need to pay a lot to get a good book.

-J.

I would also recommend "Take the Money & Run" IF Tamburin did not passionately advocate the use of stop wins/losses. Tamburin starts out the chapter in which he advocates stop wins/losses by saying that "this is the most important chapter in the book." He even goes as far as advocating leaving the table if you drop below a stop limit, no matter how favorable the count is. That's bad advice--period. The book has a lot of good information in it otherwise, but I just can't bring myself to recommend it given that Tamburin put so much emphasis on that one piece of very bad advice.

You can get that simply by joining the Card Counter's Cafe. It will be sent to you by email after you join the group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blackjackcardcounterscafe/join

This is really well written, presented, and organized! . . . At least I can comprehend the first couple dozen pages, and the rest looks just as good.

I am just practicing with Instant Playing Strategy at the moment--not hard and leaves enough room in my brain to get all of the vocabulary down, as well as thinking and memorizing in terms of cards.

I noticed yesterday that pages 25 and 26 are the same. Surprised no one else pointed this out. I will be uploading the correct page 26 (T-H Instant WITH Insurance) by tomorrow.

is not written for pro's but for casual players and newbies who aren't gonna play enough hours in the next 4 or 5 years to get into the long run. It was my first blackjack book and pointed the way to many newer sources. The book was written in the early 1990's and Tamburin himself on this website has acknolwedged certain weaknesses and errors and vowed to correct them in future editions.

The book makes a nice transition from basic strategy player to card scanning with positive progression to HiLo to the I-18 and credits all the other authors along the way. It is also one of the few books containing a card count system that is availiable for purchase in manay casino gift shop book sections.

At the moment, as mentioned in my post above, the title is Bootlegger's 100 Proof Blackjack. That may change, but it is certain that the title will contain the name "Bootlegger."

But I was willing to look over look that.

MILLION DOLLAR BLACKJACK,,,KEN USTON.
you will see many critical responses for this suggestion.
most come from people not willing to take this time
needed to master his techingues.
read it,learn it,absorb it all.
not to brag,
since i have mastered the apc?
78 percent consistant win rate.
totaly,completely changed my game,attitude and
overall take home pay.
The game pays my bills,bought my last car,pays for my
food and liesure.
always keep in mind,
what one man has done,another man can do.